The Windies just on the edge of victory at the close

The West Indies had victory tantalizingly in sight at the close on Saturday on the third day of the second Test as they stood 71 runs short of victory with six wickets remaining against New Zealand.

With bowler Narsingh Deonarine on a hot streak, the hosts bowled out the Black Caps for just 154 — leaving the West Indies requiring only 206 and by the close in Kingston, they had made 134 for four as they looked to seal a 2-0 series win.

Despite cheaply losing the wickets of Kieran Powell — trapped LBW by Tim Southee for six — and Chris Gayle — LBW to Trent Boult for just eight — they were well on their way as Assad Fudadin and first innings centurion Martin Samuels took them to 56 for two before Neil Wagner bowled Fudadin for 27 with the score on 94.

Doug Bracewell then forced an edge from Samuels, who departed for 52 having been spilled by B.J. Watling when on 20.

Overnight, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Kemar Roach were still there on 20 and 10 respectively as the winning target began to swim into view.

However, it was an onslaught of spin in the morning session that left the Kiwis reeling after they had set up a 51-run lead after the first innings.

Deonarine posted figures of four for 37 as he and Tino Best conspired to rip the Kiwi middle order after the tourists had been 110 ahead overnight at 59 for two.

By lunch, that had become 109 for seven, as part time offspinner Deonarine — posting pre-lunch innings figures of 4/24 — and Best went to town.

After Deonarine had seen off openers Martin Guptill and B.J. Watling Best had Neil Wagner caught for six in the 32nd over and two balls later had skipper Ross Taylor removed in similar vein as wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin took the catch.

Deonarine was at it again as he had Brendon McCullum offer a bat-pad catch to forward short leg on 19 before also claiming Williamson’s scalp as he drove to Darren Sammy.

Sunil Narine then bagged the wicket of Kruger Van Wyk, who holed out to deep square leg after making five, before ending what resistance there had been since Guptill’s departure in the person of Dean Brownlie, who made a battling 35 before Narine had him caught by Deonarine to finish up with figures of three for 19.

Although Gayle and Powell then failed to blaze a batting trail, those who came to the crease in their stead, most notably Samuels, looked to have done enough to set up a platform for victory.